AUGUST 2009 - WE'RE TAKING THE LEED

Part of CIR's plan to be a more sustainable company is by encouraging employees to become LEED Accredited Professionals (AP).  The US Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is considered the national standard for green building, and is becoming increasingly popular within the construction industry because of the energy savings and other benefits to building owners.  In fact, many colleges and government agencies are requiring that all new building projects attain LEED certification at some level.  Having LEED AP's on staff will help to supply CIR with the knowledge necessary to both provide our customers more valuable services and enable us to more efficiently manage our jobs seeking LEED certification.

I'm happy to say that I will have taken the first part of the exam by the time you read this, and a few of my coworkers have begun the process of preparing for the exam.  With the release of LEED version 3 in 2009, the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI,) which manages the professional accreditation program, also restructured the program.  The first part of the exam will earn me the LEED Green Associate credential, the first "tier" in the new program, which "attests to basic knowledge and skill in understanding and supporting green design, construction, and operations."[1]  The next step, or tier, would be to take a LEED AP specialty exam based on one of the LEED Rating Systems, which carries the additional prerequisite of having been involved in a LEED certified project within three years of applying for the exam.  GBCI currently has a third tier under development, referred to as a LEED AP Fellow, and has added the requirement of continuing education credits to maintain professional accreditation status.

The purpose of the LEED Professional Accreditation program is to recognize professionals that "have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and the LEED Rating System."  In turn, CIR will be recognized for having staff that is knowledgeable and experienced in the green building industry.

[1] Green Building Certification Institute http://www.gbci.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=98